Resting on the southern slopes of the volcano Popocatepetl, the former convento of Santiago Ayapango was founded by the eminent Franciscan Fr. Martín de Valencia in the mid 1500s as a visita of Tlalmanalco.
The present cruciform church rests atop the foundations of the 16th century mission here, and the front is fashioned in baroque style with construction dates from the mid 1600s to the early 1700s.Half columns with wavy fluting frame the doorway whose arch is adorned with scrolled vegetal reliefs.
Similar reliefs in grotesque style patterns accent the features of the upper facade—the paired columns beside the choir window, a round opening in the gable and the pilasters to either side of the sculpture niche above the doorway, which contains an archaic stone statue of the patron Santiago Matamoros which may date from the early years of the mission. Similar reliefs also adorn the spiral Corinthian columns framing the openings of the bell tower, which is oddly emblazoned with a folkloric relief of St Barbara?:
Inside the church, the main altarpiece is executed in late baroque fashion with estípite pilasters, paintings and statuary that include St Francis, Our Lady of Sorrows and the image of St James as a pilgrim (Santiago Apostol).
Other colonial art treasures of note inside the church include a small but gem like retablo of Guadalupe framed by gilded spiral columns; and a densely composed early18th century painting of the Redemption or Animas/Last Judgment signed by the artist Diego de Rojas.
A dashing equestrian figure of Santiago Matamoros rests in the nave, to be taken out in Procession on his feast day in July. The former convento, with its well kept cloister, adjoins the south side of the church.
text © 2022 Richard D. Perry
images courtesy of Niccolo Brooker and ELTB
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